


Moderation

by ikknowplaces



Series: Sarai Finds Out AU [3]
Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Fic Continuation, Fluff, Love Confessions, Tenderness, as always, hand kissing, sarai finds out au, sister investigation, so much fluff oh my god
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:40:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23384653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ikknowplaces/pseuds/ikknowplaces
Summary: Amaya introduces Janai to her family.
Relationships: Amaya/Janai (The Dragon Prince)
Series: Sarai Finds Out AU [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1810054
Comments: 24
Kudos: 101





	Moderation

**Author's Note:**

> aahhhh i am literally screaming. it's 2am and i am finally done with this, this is one of the most enjoying things i've ever written, i love this au sooo much
> 
> a few notes: i headcanon sarai and amaya as jewish with japanese and korean roots, so you will see some cultural references in this such as taking off your shoes and having a special friday dinner. this was very fun to write because i put in some stuff i actually do with my family after a friday dinner. jewish rights! (and no i will not receive constructive criticism!)
> 
> alsoo you may noticed moderation is written in regards to amaya somewhere at the ending, but it's completely direct at janai
> 
> also there's a bonus scene i didn't include here bc i didn't want to ruin the fluffy feeling and the t rating of this fic, which i will post tomorrow on my tumblr
> 
> enjoy this!

* * *

Janai stepped down the corridor from her room, inserting the twin diamond earrings through the little holes pierced into her ears. She opened her palm when she arrived at the mirror, pinned to the wall at the entrance to her living room, and picked up the metallic backs before twisting them into place. Lastly, with two shinning earrings on each ear, she added a loop one, plated with gold, on the top of her right ear. 

She took a step back and looked at herself, pursing her lips to make sure her lipstick lasted, and brushed her shirt. It was a loose top that ended just at her hips, dark green and sewn with glitter. Her jeans were black and raised high on her waist, with three buttons instead of a zipper. She was ready. All she needed to do now was wait.

"You do realize I'm still here?" A voice came from behind her, and Janai spun around to see Kazi's face on the screen on her phone.

"Oh god," she removed the hand over her heart and picked her phone from where it was resting on the sofa arm, tilted by the cushion. "Well? How do I look?"

Kazi evaluated her as she stretched her arm as far as possible to show off most of her body. "You look great, Janai," they concluded at the end, with a bright smile.

"Really?" With her other hand, she touched the clasp holding some of her locks together, making sure it was secured well enough, and donned her boots.

"Yes. What time did you say Amaya would be here?" 

Janai paused after getting her feet into the leather shoe and lifted her eyes at the ceiling. That was the one thing she couldn't understand.

_"So, what's Sarai's address?" She opened a note on her phone, legs folded together up on the couch at Amaya's house after she had told she could come for a Friday dinner at Sarai and Harrow's place, if she wanted._

_Amaya took the phone and typed the name of the street. "But don't worry, I'll drive you."_

_Janai looked up at her. "Are you sure? You live on the other side of the city. Won't you be driving back and forth?"_

_She gave her a reassuring smile that didn't convince her at all. "It's okay, trust me."_

A knock on the door interrupted her and Janai whipped her head towards the sound. "It must be her," she said, and return her face to the screen. "I have to go now, Kazi, thank you!"

"Take a coat-" They began to say just before Janai pressed the button to disconnect the call. 

She rushed towards the door, grabbing the coat she left hanging on the kitchen chair on the way, and pushed the door open.

The full view of Amaya greeted her, standing on the top floor, waiting for her. A smile formed on her face when she saw Janai. "Hey, sweetie," she wrapped her arms around Amaya's neck in a hug, and basked in the warm familiarity of Amaya's hands, holding her. Janai drew back and her eyes fell on Amaya, the soft, cream-colored sweater she wore that rose to her neck, and the checkered jacket she had above it. "Wow, you look lovely," the words spilled from her mouth, half gapped, and she lifted her eyes to Amaya again. "Let me just get my bag."

Amaya nodded, and Janai appeared at the doorstep again, leaving all of the lights of the house off but one on the entrance. She turned to Amaya after she locking the door.

"Hey," she embraced her again and pulled back to plant a kiss on her lips. "How are you?" They descended the short staircase and walked out into the street.

"I'm great," Amaya signed, not taking her eyes off her. "You look wonderful," she placed her hand on the small of Janai's back.

A burst of cold wind passed between them, but Janai still felt the warmness of her cheeks. "Thank you."

Amaya turned on the heat once they were inside of her car and Janai took off her bag from across her chest before she clicked the seat belt until it secured into place.

"So," she signed at Amaya while she could still spare some glances as she navigated slowly through her neighborhood. "Anything I should know about your family before we arrive?"

Amaya stopped at the red light. "Nothing much," she shrugged. "Just take off your shoes as you do in my house. It's a Friday dinner, so Harrow will say a short prayer." Her hands trailed off at the end, and Amaya gazed at the road ahead.

"And?" Janai bent her head to be in her line of sight.

"Harrow isn't Callum's biological father. My sister was married before to another man," she said, at last.

"Oh," Janai balanced her elbow on her knee. "Well, that's fine. You had me worried for a moment," she laughed, and sunk back into her seat.

Amaya smiled at her as they passed streets and rows of high lamps, illuminating the dark road with bright yellow light. Janai hanged her arm over the little box between their seats, and Amaya reached to hold her hand.

The dark clouds have been roaming the sky all day like, threatening to break open and bless the earth with their purifying rain, but thankfully not a drop fell from the sky when Amaya opened the car door for Janai.

The drive was significantly longer than what it should have been if Amaya drove directly to Sarai and Harrow's house, but she didn't want Janai to arrive by herself to her first meeting with Amaya's family. Though Sarai had made it clear she didn't remember half of the ways she taunted Harrow with when they first started going out, Amaya didn't want to leave any room for teasing about how she should have picked Janai up.

_Amaya turned to Janai, bracing herself. Just like what she had suggested earlier, they met at her house to watch a movie, and Amaya waited for it to come to end to tell Janai the news. "So, my sister knows about us," she began, and already Janai's eyes widened for a second. "She told me when we met today."_

_Janai drifted away from her, glancing at the floor as she placed her glass down. "Is that a bad thing?'_

_"No," she shook her head. "I've been meaning to tell you I want her to know," she smiled lightly as blush crept to her face. "It was just... never the right time."_

_Janai returned the grin, brighter than Amaya's. "It's funny, I actually wanted to suggest the same thing. Do you really want your family to know?"_

_Amaya nodded. Their little secret was fun, but there was no need for it anymore. "I do."_

_Janai tilted her head. "Well," she picked up her glass again, and held it out. "No more secrets."_

_"No more secrets," Amaya clicked her glass against Janai's, and bent over to kiss her lips._

Sarai was the one to open the door for them. "Hey," She grinned and opened her arms as she pushed the door further back. "Get in, it's so cold outside," she glanced between them and pushed Amaya in by the hand. 

She embraced Amaya once they changed into the house shoes. "How are you?" She held her sister by her shoulders.

"Good," Amaya answered, and took a step closer. "Be nice," she signed close to her. _Or I'll tell Harrow who really broke the nice plates last Passover._

"Amaya," her brother-in-law stepped in and hugged her in a hug that would have crushed her if she was smaller. "So good to see you."

Amaya returned his smile. "You too," she clasped his hand.

Janai quietly waited as Amaya greeted her family, adjusting the chain of her bag over her shoulder. Amaya stepped back then and faced her. "This is Janai," she signed each letter of her name.

"Hey," she raised her hand in a wave.

Sarai stepped forward a second after. "Janai, so nice to finally meet you," she wrapped her arms around Janaj in a hug that caught her unready, but she returned in quickly enough.

Amaya watched it all, an uneasy feeling resonating deep inside her stomach. Sarai would never hurt Janai, nor she would let it go without answer, but there was no way Sarai would let the first time Amaya brought a girlfriend over to just pass by. 

"Welcome to our home, Janai," Harrow took her hand with both of his, giving her a grin that was warmer than the air inside, and Janai's smile relaxed.

"Thank you for the invitation," she said, and her eyes wandered to his dark brown locks, twisted in a similar way to hers.

A moment of silence passed before Sarai and Harrow glanced over her shoulder, and Janai looked back as well. Amaya turned towards the door, where a small light lit up high above the wall.

"It must be Gren," she slid the jacket off her arms and turned to Janai to take hers as well. They share a glimpse as Janai handed her her coat, and Amaya took her hand underneath the fabric, giving her a reassuring look. She walked to the door, hanging to coats there, and opened it to see Gren. 

Dinner began well, as any other dinner could begin. Harrow stood at the head of the table as he read from the book of prayers. Amaya shared one side of the table with Sarai, and Janai and Gren sat in front of them.

Her eyes wandered to Amaya after Harrow took a sip from the glass of sweet grape wine and handed it to Sarai.

Amaya caught her eyes. "You don't have to," she said, regretting not sitting next to her so she could sign more privately.

"It's fine," she answered, a quick flicker of her fingers, and Amaya remembered a time when she was little and she and Sarai would sign, so their parents wouldn't hear.

Sarai looked between them, the glass in her hands, and Amaya took it before she could ask.

Janai pursed her lips when she finished her sip. "It's sweet," she said and gave Gren the cup.

"Yes, well, we can't use real wine, we have children after all," Sarai balanced her chin on the back of her hand.

Amaya turned in her chair to her. "Where are the kids anyway?"

"Claudia and Soren are watching them," Sarai straightened her back with an almost painful rub on her forehead. 

She didn't know if to cringe or laugh, but Janai chose to smile in front of her. "Didn't they completely trash the house last time?" In a very long conversation via text messages, Sarai had expressed her anger over the kitchen that had been piled with dirty bowls and the smoky microwave when Callum and Ezran wanted biscuits and melted chocolate.

"Which is exactly why they are at their house," Harrow smirked, tearing the bread into a small piece that he gave Sarai.

After dinner which was filled with light-hearted chat and a considerably low amount of questions directed at Janai, much to Amaya's relief, they split the cake Gren brought from Corvus' bakery on the low table on the living room.

Despite their tradition strictly forbidden any use of electronic devices or labor- as little as solving a crossrow with a pencil- they still turned on the television to watch the evening news followed by an amusing game show with some known local stand up artists. 

She should thank Gren for coming at the first opportunity. Not only the cake he bought from Corvus was delicious, layers of puff pastry and sweet cream, with some cut strawberries decorating the top, his presence eased on Amaya. Without him, the Friday meeting would have felt like a real, serious meeting the parents kind of situation, but it felt more like a regular get together of friends and family.

"I'm going to bring more water," Janai picked up the empty pitcher.

Amaya got up from the couch. "I'll come with you."

Janai went to the refrigerator when they entered the kitchen and took out the bottle of water. Amaya leaned against the marble counter and watched her as she filled the pitcher almost to the top. 

Janai raised her head to see her and laughed. "They're really nice, Amaya," she said, as if reading her mind. "I'm glad I came."

Amaya let out a breath, a smile lifting the side of her face. "Really?"

"Yes, I'm really bonding with Harrow over the hair," she leaned over and twisted a lock around her finger before she flipped her hair away from her shoulder. She told him during the dinner she used to have clasps holding the ends in crazy colors when she was younger, the black ones being her "emo phase".

"I'm glad," she inched closer until their feet touched. "I'll be right back." Her hand slid on Janai's hip as she walked past her.

She returned the almost empty water bottle to its place when Sarai appeared behind her, standing beside the sink.

"I wanted to see if you needed any help," she said, and smoothed her red shirt that clung into her body.

Janai pushed the refrigerator door closed. "I got it," she gave her a quick smile. "Thank you for the dinner, it was lovely."

"It must have been your first time in a supper like this, right?" Sarai held her hands together at her front, and Janai was tempted to lie and tell her no. 

She tried to think if she would have been afraid to introduce Amaya to her family. Ori would be thrilled, not a single bad word from him, but Khessa would be more judgemental. Still, Janai wouldn't be afraid. Any remark from her sister, she would shut it out by herself.

But would Amaya be afraid?

"Amaya told me about your tradition, actually," she said while Sarai opened a cabinet above her head to take a large bowl separated into parts.

Sarai nodded and unfolded a paper bag of cashew and other kinds of seeds. "How long have you been dating?" She peeked at her as she filled the bowl.

Janai lowered her head and smiled. "Three months," she answered, playing along. "You didn't come just to check if I needed help, right?"

Amaya left the bathroom just in time to see Sarai smoothing the crease of her brows. She was about to walk back to the living room, but Sarai and Janai alone... She didn't believe her sister had any ill intentions, but still. First girlfriend in years.

"I don't have anything against you Janai," she read Sarai's lips, peeking from the corner, and even from that distance she could tell her sister wasn't being completely honest. "I just want to know what's your business with her."

Amaya's heart skipped a beat as burning heat rushed to her cheeks. She clenched her jaw, feeling the fury coursing through her veins. With Janai's back to her, she couldn't understand her reply, but she noticed how her hand closed to a fist and the slight shift in her stance.

"I'm only asking for her own good," Sarai went on. "Our parents passed away a long time ago. You probably know she hasn't dated in years." Amaya wanted to smash her head into the wall. She wanted to march to Sarai and tell her that their family problems weren't Janai's problems, and yes that she knew, because she hadn't dated in years either. "I simply don't want her to get hurt."

The dozens of curses running through her mind were interrupted when a shadow moved over the wall, and Amaya turned around to see Gren.

"What are you hiding over?" He asked, and Amaya pushed him down before he could walk into the kitchen.

" _Tell me what she's saying_ ," she glared at him and released her grip around his shirt only when he nodded.

Janai sighed, looking up at the ceiling, and crossed her hands. Let it be over. "I know you must have heard it in the past, but I would never hurt your sister," she began, and Amaya glanced between Gren's reluctant signs and her back. "Her disability doesn't bother me. I'm learning sign, which is the _bare_ minimum I owe her." 

She came to a falter laugh then, and Amaya felt the heat coloring her cheeks again at Gren's interpretation, first from agitation at _disability_ \- she never considered her deafness as one- then from Janai's words. Bare minimum. Some women in the past didn't even bother to do that. Never has she met someone outside of her family or close friends who thought that _she_ owed _her_ , and not the opposite. At some point, learning sign became a nuisance for all of her partners. 

She thought Janai had finished, but Gren continued when she lifted her eyes from the floor. "The truth is, Amaya makes me happier more than any other person. I don't feel afraid when we're together, I can just be myself. And I want to make her happy too, for as long as she'll let me, because I..." Gren's hands stopped moving when Janai paused, and Amaya's heart was beating so fast in her chest she was sure he could hear it. "I love her."

Her mouth fell open. Gren glanced at her after the last words, almost too concern to the point of sadness, but Amaya couldn't tear her eyes off Janai, as if lingering on her would emphasize the truthness of her words, that she wasn't hallucinating.

She thought about it too. More than once, more that she would admit. Janai was always so cheerful and radiating, and Amaya couldn't help as those thoughts wandered to her mind at these moments, or as she watched Janai drifting to sleep at her bed.

Her gaze fell to her hand holding onto the wall, so tightly her knuckles have turned white. She wanted to slide until her knees would reach her chest- this was the last of circumstances she wanted to see those words, but now that they were out of the open, there was only one thing she could do.

She took a deep breath, calming her heart, and stepped out. Sarai noticed her first and took a step back, her eyes widening for a moment, and Janai spun after her. 

"Amaya..." Her name spilled from her lips, and she avoided her eyes, glancing at the floor.

She closed the gap between them in two wide steps and cupped Janai's face, bringing her into a kiss. She felt the vibrations when Janai yelped in surprise, but she soothed into her.

Amaya pulled away to gasp for air, feeling the pulse ringing in every part of her body as she took in Janai's eyes, brightened by the lights, and the faint redness of her face. "I love you too," she signed in the longer way, instead of a simple gesture with one of her hands.

Gren peeked out from behind the wall, taking hesitant steps until he stood at the entrance. "She said that-"

"No, I know what she meant," Janai moved her eyes from him back to her and lifted her hand to hold her cheek. "I love you too, Amaya," she closed her eyes and kissed her, and Amaya relished in her warmth and the sweetness of her lips as she held Janai's waist.

It was Janai who broke the kiss this time, drawing away when Sarai made a high pitched sigh. "Aww, you guys," she put both hands over her heart, grinning like a proud mother. "I thought you were just dating, I didn't know you were in love."

They both rolled their eyes, and Amaya draped her arm over Janai's shoulder as she placed her own high on her back.

"So we're okay now?" Janai asked, and Amaya knew her voice was dripping with sarcasm just by the tilt of her head.

"Yes, of course," Sarai nodded, and raised a fist which Janai bumped with her, half amused.

Amaya slid her arm from Janai's shoulders to hold her hand. "I'm telling Harrow about the nice plates from last Passover," she said, and caught a bare glimpse of Sarai gaping at her before she walked to the living room, Janai giggling by her side.

The ride back home was much more pleasant. They parted from Sarai and Harrow with genuine hugs, and Sarai informed them that they were more than invited to visit again, with the kids in the house next time. She packed some boxes with large portions that were left from the food, ones that Janai refused to take from Amaya, and she got the remaining of the cake instead.

She pulled at Janai's apartment, and Janai looked at the window and to Amaya. They both leaned back in their seats, staring at each other with those sympathetic smiles when there was nothing more to be said, but they didn't want the day to come to an end.

"I'm sorry about Sarai," Amaya rubbed her closed hand in circles on her chest. "She shouldn't have coaxed it out of you."

Janai shook her head. "It's okay. I hope that you didn't feel like you have to say it back to me." She lifted herself from the seat.

"No, I wanted to," she replied.

"Well, good." The stern decisiveness in her face made Amaya smile. "I really am glad that I came, Amaya. I mean it."

For the more than enough time this evening, Amaya blushed in earnestly. Something in Janai didn't want her to take things in moderation. "If we're all about confessions tonight," she took her hand, "there's something I've been wanting to do for a while now," she closed her eyes and brought Janai's hand to her lips, kissing her fingers.

Janai let out a quiet gasp, a wave of color rushing up her neck and to her cheeks as Amaya looked at her. She took a shallow breath, feeling the coldness of the air alleviating her sparks filled chest, before she turned the hand Amaya just kissed go gently hold her chin as she leaned forward for another kiss.

Amaya opened to her and she left her chin in favor of the back of her neck, burying her fingers in the short ends of Amaya's hair there. Amaya threw her arms around her back, bringing her closer as much as she could, and Janai smiled into the delicate push and pull as they kissed.

Janai pursed her lips when they eventually broke apart, her forehead pressed against Amaya's and their arms still holding each other, not wanting the sweet moment to be over. When she did open her eyes, she drew back just enough to see Amaya's eyes. "Do you want to come up?" She whispered, her lips trembling too much for anything else. 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!
> 
> my [tdp sideblog](https://rrunaan.tumblr.com)


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